North Korea Claims Test of Intercontinental Missile

North Korea says it has successfully tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) under the supervision of leader Kim Jong-un, and that it was capable of hitting anywhere in the world.

The Hwasong-14 missile reached an altitude of 2,802km and hit its target precisely after flying for 39 minutes, the North’s state television said.

The missile was launched from country’s western region into the sea off its east coast on Tuesday, according to officials in South Korea and Japan.

The “unidentified ballistic missile” was fired at around 00:40 GMT from a site near Banghyon in North Pyongan province and flew about 930 kilometres, coming down in the Sea of Japan, South Korea’s military said in a statement.

President Moon Jae-in said the military was analysing the launch with the possibility that it may have been an ICBM.